Is the eye always pink with conjunctivitis?

Just wondering if the white of the eye is always pink with conjunctivitis? DS has had a cold for a little while and he's been getting a gooey eye when I give him Fess spray and when he wakes up...

Last time this happened I took him to the GP (different one to my normal one) and he prescribed drops and creams. But when I went to see my normal GP a few days later she said it was part of the cold and not conjunctivitis because the eye wasn't pink. I guess it's called pink eye for a reason...

Anyways, not sure if I should go to the GP (my usual one is on holidays until next week) or give it a couple of days, because again, his eye isn't pink, he just has the gunk...

Nope as far as I know it does not have to be pink, there are 3 different types of conjunctivitis. I have had it on and off with both kids on and off for 8 weeks now, we just can't seem to kick it but we have gotten the little bit of goo and no pink with ours. Mine go red but I wear contacts so that doesn't help. You can get Chlorsig drops over the counter at the chemist now if it get worse and you want to try the drops.

What Tan said...
if oneo f the boys gets a gooey eye i use chammomile tea (or breasmilk) and wipe it clean every hour or so... that usually clears it up - i fnot gone in 24-36 hrs or if getting worse i go chlorasig (i use ointment as i find it easier for the littlies than drops)

Thanks ladies! I've been wiping it clean with home made saline solution, but might pop up to the chemist and get them to have a quick look.

What a great idea - wiping with breastmilk. I've been trying to figure out how to get breastmilk in DD's eyes since yesterday!

I'm gonna try that I think.

Boytwin had really bad conjunctivitis recently, lots of goo from his eye and he looked like he had been punched it was so red and swollen, but the white or his eye was still white.

Girltwin, on the other hand, has a bloodshot eye which I am assured is nothing to do with conjunctivitis, and she must have gotten some dust or something in her eye which has irritated it. I guess it depends on what sort of conjunctivitis they get, and how badly the inside of the eye is irritated by it.

With J it is nearly impossible to get the drops in, with Iz we tell her she has to do "butterfly" eyes and she blinks fast and is really good at it - he screams blue murder if we go near him with the bottle so I soak some of a cotton ball in the drops,(bottle doesn't last too long :rolleyes:) and then sweep it over his eyes in the hope some of it will go in seeing as he scrunches his eyes up so tight.

As someone else said, there are broadly 3 types of conjunctivitis - bacterial, viral and allergic. The common green/yellow matted discharge is bacterial. Chlorsig drops usually work for this. Viral conjunctivitis often accompanies colds (both can be due to adenovirus) and had a more clear, watery discharge. Allergic conjunctivitis is secondary to allergens and give a mucous, ropey, clear discharge. An all types the white of the eye (the conjunctiva) will become red.

Most conjunctivitis in children is viral, and as with colds there is no treatment. Artificial tear drops such as Refresh can help with the discomfort. If there is a green/yellow discharge, then it's probably bacterial conjunctivitis. You can let it run it's course, use breast milk, or Chlorsig drops. It can be difficult to diagnose for a lay person, so I would recommend seeing an optometrist can determine exactly what is going on. GP's vary in their eye knowledge, some are great though, but an optometrist deals with these conditions all the time.

A tip for getting drops in young eyes. Lie them down with their face up, let them close their eyes and place a drop in the inner corner of each eyelid. Then ask them to open their eyes (or you can gently open the lids yourself) while still looking up and the drops will get into the eyes.